“Oh, I’ll never stop watching your ass.”
Alpha tease. “Hah, hah.”
Slade stiffened and sniffed the air.
She smelled wild boar. “Don’t even think of bacon.”
“Why not? It’s not like there are humans in the area.”
“True, but cleanup would be a bitch.” She wiggled her ass to shake off some debris.
He gave her a lustful look; drooling out of the corner of his jaw, then shook his head as if coming to his senses. “You’re right. Let’s get rest.”
“At least, you will. I have night watch, remember?”
“We will both nap.”
Alpha’s never really fell into a deep sleep, so there was really no point in her staying up all night anyway. “If you say so, and as long it doesn’t involve crawling into an empty log.”
“Agreed.”
Slade took in all the evening sounds and scents of the forest night. He gazed at Cricket curled into a tight ball. Her dainty front paws covered her nose. He smiled. Abella. She looked so peaceful, trusting. Try as she might, she had fought sleep, but at last, she succumbed. He settled next to her and sighed in contentment.
Listening to her breathe, he gently laid a paw over her. She snuggled closer, and his heart pattered. H
e drifted into sleep.
Her soft whimpers, followed by snapping growls woke him. He cocked his head. Her paws trembled, and she growled. A nightmare. Because of him? He nudged her. “Cricket, wake up.”
She snarled and he recoiled, not expecting her rage. “What? Where am I?”
“With me, Slade. On a mission. You had a nightmare.”
Cricket sat and gazed around, still acting disoriented. She bowed her head. “Sorry. I’m not normally a deep sleeper.”
“You needed your sleep.”
Cricket stretched like a cat. “I can stand watch, now.”
“No need. It’ll be daylight soon.”
She nuzzled beneath his neck and licked him. He stood enjoying every precious second of her full attention. The feel of her tongue felt so good, whether on his cock or simply showing wolfish respect toward her alpha. When she finished lavishing him with affection, she pranced around, eager to go. “Hold on. Before we go, do you remember your nightmare?” It bothered him more than he imagined that she may have been stressed because he confused sex with some special attachment.
“I’d rather not say.” She trotted toward the motorcycle.
He joined her. “About me, then?”
She threw him a wolfish grin. “That wouldn’t have been a nightmare.”
“Good to know, since you were growling and quite upset.”
“Ah, probably about my fucked up pack life prior to the change.”
“Rylee said you were thrown out after the change.”
“Trust me, it was for the best.”
“I have a good mind to nip off the nose of the alpha who threw you out.”